Fall is my favorite season in the DC area. The humidity drops, but the weather is still warm enough to enjoy lots of family adventures. If you’re looking to explore our region and make some memories this fall, we’ve rounded up a list of our favorite fall day trips near Washington, DC. Whether you’re looking for beautiful fall foliage, thrills and adventure, or you’re not ready for summer to end, there’s a great destination in our region.

Enjoy an afternoon of indoor family fun at one of these Orlando escape rooms! Put your inner Sherlock Holmes to the test with puzzles, riddles, and challenges to work together as a team and beat the clock in these themed experiences. These Orlando escape rooms are great entertainment for tweens and teens, but some are kid-friendly to ages as young as 7! Many of these locations offer birthday party options as well. 

All parents talk about their kids "climbing the walls"—but are yours truly climbing the walls, the trees, and random objects not meant to be climbed? Bring 'em somewhere that they can climb (safely!) as high as they like. Rock climbing is a full-body sport that builds strength, endurance, and stamina. It also challenges the mind as climbers make decisions, work out routes, and challenge themselves physically. And, as any kid who has been on a climbing wall at the park can tell you—it's just plain fun!

Most climbing gyms in the LA area offer birthday parties for kids, several offer summer camps, and all the ones listed below allow children to climb with an adult present. If your child really enjoys climbing, a youth team (many gyms offer non-competitive and competition teams) is the best way to get lots of practice and instruction. Of course, sometimes you just need to let them climb the walls for an afternoon. And here's where you can take them.

It might just be every child’s dream to sleep in a tree house, and honestly, it sounds downright magical to us as parents, too. Besides, after the year we all just had, couldn't we all use a little getaway to the woods?

We found a dozen tree house rentals to help make those dreams of sleeping in the trees come true! From Maine to California, consider these kid-friendly tree house rentals for your next family vacation.

If you've got an aspiring actor on your hands, there are plenty of great acting classes for kids in New Jersey. These local spots offer lessons to help your star-in-the-making shine whether they're a newbie, aspiring professional, or somewhere in between. And, if your child’s schedule is already booked through the school year, don’t fret—most of these spots offer summer acting camps, too.

For more enrichment opportunities, check out our guide to Classes and Activities in New Jersey for kids.

LA is having an immersive moment, and it's one of the few things we can thank the pandemic for: inspiring the proliferation of these amazing, touch-free, large-scale productions. They're popping up everywhere—in fact, there are two Van Gogh exhibits near LA—and these immersive art experiences will take you from the heart of Vatican City to the art on the street. Walking into one of these larger-than-life pop-up shows is like diving into an artist's palette (and mind!). Traditional museums around Southern California are a wonderful destination for you and your little art lovers, but don't miss a chance to visit at least one of these current or upcoming immersive shows, which are great for kids of all ages and a true treat for art-starved adults!

Read on for the scoop of when these art experiences are popping up, what each entails, and which ones are best to visit with kids.

Homemade butter is easy to make and requires nothing more than some heavy cream, a tightly lidded container, and a marble. It's fun to make, and kids love this at-home, rainy (or snowy) day project. We've made this homemade butter recipe several times, but really got into it during our covid-baking days. Give it a try! Not only does the butter taste fresher, you can evoke days of old without having to figure out how to make a butter churner. Plus, kids are super proud to serve butter they made by themselves.

Find more things to cook and create in our guide to Easy Recipes for Kids.